Team of Seventh-day Adventist leaders and staff of the Hope Media Center in Colombia take part in the conclusion of the live 24-hours of hope transmission, held from Mar. 20 – Mar. 21, 2020, from Medellin, Colombia.  [Photo: North Colombia Union]
April 7, 2020 | Medellin, Colombia | Daniela Arrieta/IAD News Staff

Faced with the recent closing due to social distancing orders of its 1,588 congregations across the Seventh-day Adventist Church in North Colombia, church leaders teamed up to transition its membership to streaming worship services with a special 24-hour live program. The live event, which began Friday night, March 20 and ended Saturday night, March 21, was carried through the church’s online Esperanza Colombia Radio and its Hope Media Center for its online YouTube channel.

“In such a complicated moment for our church, where churches cannot be open to congregants, we wanted the membership to feel that the church is with them in their homes providing all of the activities they take part in every Sabbath,” said Luis Gabriel Moreno, communication director for the church in North Colombia. “Our mission in the communication department is to testify through all available communication channels to share the message of salvation.”

Henry Salgado, director of the Esperanza Colombia Radio (or Hope Colombia Radio), at the master control during the special live program. [Photo: North Colombia Union]
Henry Salgado, director of Hope Colombia Radio, said at the time that when churches and schools were closing fast, he immediately thought that there had to be a way to continue ministering to the church membership. The radio station covers 18 municipal districts with more than five million in the State of Antioquia but it streams its program online as well. “God put it in my heart a plan for 24 hours of transmission and just about the same time Pastor Moreno also had the same idea,” said Salgado.

It was the first time that the church in North Colombia carried a special live event for 24 hours straight and one that had never had such response online, church leaders said. The union’s Facebook page saw more than 100,000 shares, and more than 12,000 on YouTube.

President of the Church in North Colombia Pastor Edgar Redondo thanked leaders and young professionals who labored together to keep the church united and informed in such fast changing days amid the quarantine regulations.

Pastor Edgar Redondo, president for the church in North Colombia, preaches on prophecy during the live program broadcasted on Facebook Live and YouTube from the studios of Hope Media Colombia in Medellin, Colombia. [Photo: North Colombia Union]
The 24-hour program included vespers session with children and youth programs, Sabbath school, two sermon messages, programs for adults and the family, praise and worship, health tips, special music, news, a prayer session and more.

“Thanks to this marathon, I didn’t stop watching it for one minute,” said Eli Yojana Ramírez on Facebook. “It was such a blessing. I felt like I was worshiping at church.”

The church in North Colombia continues to feature special online streaming services for Friday vespers and Sabbath worship as well as Adventist youth programs and more, organizers said.

There are more than 136,000 Seventh-day Adventists in North Colombia. The church oversees eight conferences and missions and operates the Colombia Adventist University and 26 primary and secondary schools.

The Family of Faith Musical Ministry praises God during the live transmission on Mar. 21, from the Esperanza Colombia Radio studio in Medellín, Colombia. [Photo: North Colombia Union]
To view 24-hour program online, click HERE

For more on the initiatives and activities of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in North Colombia, visit  unioncolombiana.org.co